Radar system with specialized weighting

Abstract

A radar system including an azimuthally scanned radar wherein the radar receives echo signals during each of a succession of azimuthally scanned directions of the radar receiving beam. Sequences of samples of data of received echo signals are stored with sets of samples relating to a common range being utilized for developing weighting factors for weighting received echo signals as a function of range. Thereby, dynamic fluctuations in signals strength because of clutter are reduced.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for processing signals comprising: means for sampling signals at each interval of a first series of predetermined intervals of time to provide a first series of samples;   means for activating said sampling means to sample signals during a second and a subsequent series of predetermined intervals of time to provide a second and a subsequent series of samples, thereby generating a first set of samples consisting of the first sample in said first, in said second and in said subsequent series, and further generating a second and a subsequent set of samples consisting respectively of the second and a subsequent sample in said first, in said second and in said subsequent sample series;   means for selecting a specific magnitude of sample of said first, of said second and of said subsequent sets of samples to provide selected samples; and   means coupled to said selecting means for weighting a first sample, a second sample and a subsequent sample of a series of samples of said sampling means respectively by weighting factors corresponding to said selected samples.   
     
     
       2. A system according to claim 1 further comprising filtering means interconnected between said sampling means and said weighting means for filtering samples of successive series of samples. 
     
     
       3. A system according to claim 2 further comprising means interconnected between said sampling means and said weighting means for delaying samples presented to said weighting means until said selecting means has provided a corresponding sample of said selected samples. 
     
     
       4. A system according to claim 1 wherein said selecting means comprises means for storing a past history of a plurality of said sets of samples. 
     
     
       5. A system according to claim 4 wherein said selecting means is responsive to each of the samples in a set of said samples for selecting a sample of said set of samples having a predetermined characteristic. 
     
     
       6. A system according to claim 5 wherein said selecting means includes means for selecting the largest sample of said set of samples. 
     
     
       7. A system according to claim 5 wherein said weighting means includes a memory for storing a set of weighting factors, said memory being addressed by selected samples of said selecting means. 
     
     
       8. A system according to claim 4 further comprising logarithmic means interconnected between said sampling means and said selecting means for reducing the number of digits in samples presented to said selecting means. 
     
     
       9. In a radar system providing a succession of range sweeps wherein a sequence of echo signals is produced during each of said range sweeps, a system for processing said echo signals comprising: means for sampling signals at predetermined intervals of each of said sequences of echo signals to provide a plurality of series of samples with individual ones of said series corresponding to individual ones of said echo signal sequences;   selecting means responsive to sets of said samples wherein the first set of said sets consists of the first sample in each of said series, the second set of said sets consists of the second sample in each of said series, and subsequent sets consist respectively of subsequent samples in each of said series, said selecting means selecting a magnitude of sample in each of said sets; and   means coupled to said selecting means and responsive to selections of said selecting means for weighting successive samples in one of said series of samples of said sampling means by weighting factors corresponding to respective ones of said selections.   
     
     
       10. A signal processor responsive to a succession of series of samples comprising: means for storing said succession of series of samples, said storing means providing sets of said samples wherein a first set consists of the first sample in each of said series, a second set consists of the second sample in each of said series, and subsequent sets consist respectively of subsequent samples in each of said series;   means responsive to the samples in respective ones of said sets for generating signals representing respectively the relative magnitudes of the samples in each of said sets; and   means responsive to said signal for weighting respective ones of the samples in one of said series by weighting factors designated by respective ones of said signals.   
     
     
       11. A processor according to claim 10 wherein said weighting means includes means for delaying samples of said series prior to said weighting by an amount of time sufficient for said generating means to generate respective ones of said signals. 
     
     
       12. A processor according to claim 11 wherein said weighting means includes means for forming the logarithms of said samples, said weighting being accomplished by adding the logarithms of respective weighting factors to the logarithms of said samples.